Patrons enjoying the action on stage. - (Photos by Anthony Minott/Freelance photographer)

If only the final score was taken into consideration in assessing last Thursday's Celebrity battle at the Famous Nightclub, Portmore, St Catherine, it would give the misperception that it was a one-sided affair. After all, Prodigal ended up on 56 points to Omari's 39.5, in the gospel artistes showdown segment of the Magnum All-Star $1,000,000 Face Off.

However, by themselves, the final points tally, as determined by judges Cool Face, Ian Container Boss and Snoop Rock, could not reflect the respect Omari earned especially with his selections in the final dub-for-dub round. By then, Prodigal was in an all but insurmountable lead, having taken 15 points to Omari's 8 in the opening juggling round, plus the point for crowd response. He followed that with 21 points to Omari's 11.5 in the 45 round, plus the additional point for crowd response.

But there was no giving up for an ever-smiling Omari, who got off to a tremendous start in the dub for dub round with Sanchez's "Oh I lift up my hands to the Father". In his reply Prodigal said "A my artiste dat. Mi coulda go Sanchez for Sanchez". Instead, he said, he would play a song that Omari had played as a 45 earlier, duly delivering the uptempo "Prodigal yu kill Omari inna Famous tonight, halleluiajah".

Omari returned with a TOK dub which took the house down. Prodigal was up to the moment, though. Declaring that he and Craigy T are friends, Prodigal said "mi no know how de warrior ting drop een". A dub of 'Angola' from Jah Bouks demolished the house.

But Omari came back with what was perhaps the dub of the entire 2013 Magnum All-Star $1,000,000 Face Off. "Mi nah too talk pon dah song yah," Omari said - and he did not need too. Famous gave him a forward when Bounty Killer started speaking, was in a tizzy when the rhythm started and when Rodney Pryce deejayed "the Lord is Omari light and salvation" gave a full-blooded dancehall belly roar.

There were a couple more dub plate exchanges but, with Prodigal having the final salvo, he closed with a three the hard way.

Still, even then Omari only won the round on one judge's scorecard, earning eight points plus the one for crowd support to Prodigal's seven. The others scored it seven to six for Prodigal, with one awarding Omari the point for crowd support.

Both artistes accepted the customary complimentary baskets from the Magnum ladies, Omari leading the club in prayer also.

Omari

Prodigal Son